by Steve Vinay Gunther
Introduction
Its eight years since the Howard coalition was defeated. Labour has completed two terms, with a balance of power held in the Senate by the Greens. They moved to counter some of the more regressive actions of the Howard Government, for instance repealing some but not all of the Industrial Relations legislation. They were able to successfully reach out to our Asian neighbours, and there are many more cooperative projects, particularly involving China. In most dimensions of society there is increased division; paradoxically, at the same time there are also emergent trends which evidence dynamism and fresh ideas.(continue…)